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Ecclestone promoting whistle-blowers in Formula One

Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone, with Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, said he would be in favor of offering incentives for whistle-blowers. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Formula One impresario Bernie Ecclestone says that, if and when the teams have to operate within a "budget cap," a substantial financial incentive will be offered to potential whistle-blowers.

The new Concorde Agreement—the sport's governing document—will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2013 but has not yet been finalized, and the negotiations remain a closely guarded secret. However, the proposal is rumored to have an upper limit of $250 million per season on team expenditure on anything to do with actual racing.

Ecclestone said, “My budget cap allows them to spend what they like on anything within that limit. People within teams know if something is going on. An incentive of half a million dollars might encourage people to speak out. I also want team principals and team owners to sign a contract that would hold them personally responsible for cheating, and they would have to pay the fines themselves. It would make people think.”

Ecclestone has apparently suggested that $1 million would be an appropriate fine for deliberately exceeding the limit.